Turner v. Kirkpatrick
Turner v. Kirkpatrick
Opinion of the Court
The question made i?, whether the' children of the testator, and his grandson, Kirkpatrick,, took a fee simple or
The fifth item is:
“ That my plantation on the Chattahoochee river, in Stewart county, Georgia, and my houses and lots in Cuthbert, Randolph county, Georgia, and my stock in the Cuthbert Manufacturing Company, and one scholarship in Andrew Female College, be disposed of in the following manner; that is to say, the plantation above mentioned to be rented out or sold at a suitable time, without being sacrificed, in the discretion of my executors, and the factory stock and scholarship to be disposed of to the best advantage, without sacrifice, by my said executors.”
The sixth is:
“ That the proceeds arising from the sale of property in the foregoing item (to-wit, item 5th) shall be appropriated by my executors as designated in item 3rd; that is to say, to be invested in stock, real estate as therein designated,'and to vest in my legatees upon the same terms and under the same limitations and restrictions.”
The third item thus referred to is :
‘ ‘ That all my personal and perishable property, including my note-' and choses in action, be sold by my executors immediately after my 'death, and the proceeds thereof, including the cash on hand, after giving to each of my legatees (naming them) the sum of five hundred dollars unconditionally, the portion thus designated for the benefit of*796 my grandson, John T. Kirkpatrick, if a minor at the time of my .death, shall be appropriated by my executors for his maintenance and education to the best advantage, the residue of said fund shall be invested by my said executors in such stock or real estate as in their judgment shall be advisable.”
The fourth item, which gives only a life estate to what is bequeathed in the third, so far as corpus is concerned, to the children named, but no remainder to anybody, is not referred to in the clause concerning this plantation on the Chattahoochee river, to-wit, the fifth item, though it immediately precedes that fifth item, being the fourth item.
Immediately following the 6th item, that makes the ref, ere nee to the 3d, is the 7th:
“ That each one of my legatees above mentioned shall have the unconditional control and enjoyment of the profits arising from the portion of my estate designated for them respectively, without under-any circumstances encroaching on the corpus or body of said respective portion, and at the death of either of my legatees, the portion of my estate thus designated for each of them shall descend to their, children or child of each of them respectively, to be divided and enjoyed by them upon the same terms and under the same limitations and restrictions as imposed in the foregoing items upon the ancestors. In the event of the death of either one of my said legatees without issue, or, having issue, the children should die, the portion of-my estate thus designated for their benefit shall revert to my surviving legatees and respective heirs under the same limitations and restrictions as above mentioned.”
The 8th and 9fch are special bequests. The 10th is,
“That my said executors, in the distribution in item 5 in regard to the sale of my plantation, factory stock and scholarship in Andrew Female College, make the following deduction of advances heretofore made me, to-wit, to Thomas T. Turner, one thousand dollars; Helen G. Porter, five hundred dollars; Amy G. Bailey, five hundred dollars; John T. Kirkpatrick, my grandson, one thousand dollars.”
The 11th is:
“That the plantation of the Chattahoochee river in Stewart county, Georgia, be retained and cultivated or rented, at the discretion of my said executors, and the rents and profits of the same divided among my said legatees, feeling a preference, if advisable, to retain said plantation rather than to invest the value of the same in other real estate.”
The last item appoints executors, and the 1st and 2d
On the 19th of February, 1874, the codicil was executed.
The 1st item related to burial. The 2d is :
“That the 3d item of the will and testament of October 17th, 1868, be changed and revoked as follows: . . . that my perishable property, notes and choses in action shall not be sold before one year after my death, and then only at the discretion of my executors, and if they shall think it will be to the advantage of my legatees to postpone said sale longer than one year, they have the right to do so after consulting with my said legatees, for it is my wish that my executors and legatees should consult and advise each other as to the best interest of my estate. The balance of the said 3d item is changed as follows: It is my will, and I so direct, that my grandson, J. T. Kirkpatrick, mentioned in said will, shall share my estate equally with my children, and my executors shall manage for him until he arrives at the legal age; that is to say, until he becomes twenty-one years of age, and I appoint my said executors his trustees to have control of apd to manage his property until he shall become twenty-one years old, and I hereby vest his share of my estate in trust in them for said purposes. It is further my will, and I direct, if my grandson, J. T. Kirkpatrick, shall die without heirs, his share of my said estate shall revert to and be equally divided between my children or legatees. And it is my desire that my said executors shall not permit my grandson, or any part of his property, to be carried out of the State of Georgia. It is my will, and I so direct, that my son, Thomas T. Turner, after my death, receive the sum of three hundred dollars; J. AY. Turner, after my death, to receive the sum of three hundred dollars; my grandson, J. T. Kirkpatrick, to receive, after my death, the sum of three hundred dollars; my daughter, Helen G. Porter, after my death, to receive the sum of three hundred dollars; my daughter, Mary A. M. Pitts, after my death, to receive the sum of three hundred dollars; these several sums to be paid them instead of the several amounts given them in item 3d of my will of October 17th, 1868. It is my will, and I so direct, that the three hundred dollars given to my daughter, Amy G. Bailey, in item 3d of my will of October 17th, 1868, go to aid in paying for lands bought for herself and children. It is further my will, and I direct, that after my death my executors shall pay my said daughter, Amy G. Bailey, the sum of three hundred dollars to assist in improving said land.”
The third is that:
“I desire my property to vest solely in my child or children, and*798 also absolutely in my grandson, J. T. Kirkpatrick, when he arrives at age of twenty-one years, and their children after them.”
The fourth is:
. 1 ‘ That my plantation on the Chattahoochee river in S te wart county, Georgia, be kept by my executors for three years and not be sold, and my house and two lots in Cuthbert be kept for two years, and both places rented to the best advantage, and the annual income shall be divided by my executors among my children or legatees, and J. T.' Kirpatrick, share and share alike. My reason for this change is, that I think both places the best investment that could be made. After each of the above terms have expired, my executors, after advising with my legatees, my sell both places, if they think best, and the proceeds of said sale or sales invested as directed in 3d item of will of October 17th, 1868.”
The 5th provides specially about the disposition of his house in Fort Yalley, to be sold two years after his death, after advising with legatees, and divided between his children or legatees, and grandson, to assist in farming operations. The 6th relates to payment of a debt to the Planters’ Bank at Fort Yalley and to collecting his stock and dividends therein. The 7th directs that a fund be kept out of this sale of the stock and dividends, cash on hand and cotton sold, to pay expenses and debts and the special legacies left by the codicil and will, and “ should there be a surplus after this is done, I direct that it be equally divided between my legatees and, my grandson, J. T. Kirkpatrick.” Tíre 8th revokes the deductions for advances provided for in- the 10th item' of the will. The 9th relates to a watch. The 10th makes a change in one executor.
The 11th and last item in this codicil .is:
’ “That all the property and money -that I have given to my two sons, Thomas T. Turner and John'-W. Turner, in my will of October 17th, 1868, and in codicil, shall -vest in my executor's, in trust for their úse and benefit, free from all debts or liabilities that they-may now' owe or have incurred, or may liereafter'contract or incur.' The income of -said property to be paid by my executors, as such trustees, to my said two sons and families, the-eorpas-of- said property not to be spent.1 I do hereby appoint my executors trustees to„carry out these items of my codicil.”
The above makes all of the wil-l-'and- codicil of- the testa
. It will be noted further that, by the seventh item of the will, ‘the same restrictions and limitations are put upon his children’s children, or, as sometimes expressed, upon-his legatees’ children, “as are imposed upon their ancestors.” No title to the corpus goes to them after the death of their parents, but 'they, too, are entitled only to the income limited and. restricted as to corpus and title, absolute and unconditioned title thereto,' just as much as their ancestors or parents were while they lived. The language is-“that each one of my legatees . . . shall-have-the unconditional control and enjoyment of the property?- ■ without under any circumstances enroaching'on the corpus, . . . and at the death of either of my degatees the portion of my estate thus designated for each of them-shall descend to their children or child, . . . to be divided and enjoyed by them.upon the same terms and. under the same limitations and restrictions as imposed in the foregoing'items upon the ancestors.” What terms and 'restrictions ? Nothing but. the enjoyment unconditionally' of profits they are to have, but: no title to encroach upon-the corpus. , Further, the same item provides for the death of any child of a.legatee, he dying too; that share is then1 to “revert to<my surviving legatees and their respective heirs under the same limitations and réstrictions as above
This opinion is strengthened by the 11th item of the will. There the Chattahoochee river plantation is separated from everything, even from its old companions, the Cuthbert property. It is to be retained or rented, at the discretion of his executors, “and the rents and profits of the same divided among my said legatees.” So that while they rented it, all the proceeds were to be divided among
In the same 2d codicil-item, it is seen that he makes his grandson, Kirkpatrick, “share my (his) estate equally with my children,” and makes his executors trustees to manage his share till he was twenty-one years old, which is inconsistent with the idea that they were to be his trustees after that time. And as everywhere he is treated with the chil
This is not altered in the 4th codicil-item, which provides that the Chattahoochee plantation be sold on consultation, and the proceeds be invested as provided in the 3rd item of the will, because this was necessary for Kirkpatrick while a minor, and for two of the Turners, who, to keep their creditors off of them, were also put under the executors in the last codicil-item, as the testator attempted to do in that item.
The 7th codicil-item also throws light through the tangled growth of this wilderness will. If anything from the sale of bank stock and other personalty is left, after “ expenses and debts and the special legacies” are paid, the testatator therein directs “ that it be equally divided between my legatees and my grandson, J. T. Kirkpatrick.”
We have thus traveled with difficulty and hesitation through this very singular and intricate will; and whilst not fully satisfied with the conclusion reached, we are well satisfied that any other result would involve us in more difficulty and leave us less satisfied than we are. All these parties complainant are sui juris; there is no need of a trustee for any, if indeed there could have been for any but the grandson when a minor. We are satisfied that they were to have the rents, issues and profits
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Turner, executors v. Kirkpatrick
- Status
- Published